The government on Thursday 10th February, 2022 organize a Town Hall Meeting on the controversial electronic transaction bill (E-LEVY).
Prominent amongst key personalities who graced the occasion include the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori Atta, Minister for Fishery Honorable Mavis Hawa Koomson, Minister for Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Deputy Minister for Transport Alhaji Hassan S. Tampuli among others.
The town hall meeting was to afford government opportunity to explained the importance of E-levy as well as take feedback and inputs from various stakeholders.
The Minister for information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, while underscoring the need for the bill to be passed also disagree with the assertion that, government had failed to consult or engaged the Minority MPs in Parliament and other stakeholders to make inputs on the electronic transaction levy.
According to him, government through the sector minister had engaged the leadership of Minority side in Parliament and other stakeholders on the E-levy.
“I am sure, you also heard the Minority Leader Honorable Haruna Iddrisu, himself saying that after consultation with him between Charles Addo Boahene and the Minister. And he is of the view that one (1) percent was acceptable but the party leadership came out with a letter and said they disagree with him”, he stated.
“Consultation has been on going and is continuing. Today, we are in Tamale consulting the general public, and different people to fix the country. MOMO users and other people are engaging and giving us feedback. So, if anybody says that this government does not listen, he is not interested in engaging or consulting, that cannot be true”, he explained.
“Cast your mind back when was the last time, even an administration before 2017 that, you were invited into a town hall meeting on government policies that had opportunity to expressed views like you are expressing today? So, anybody who goes around saying there is no consultation, that is absolutely untrue. You are a part of today’s consultation”, he added.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Fishery Mavis Hawa Koomson on her part, however called on residents within the Northern Region to support the passage of the electronic transaction levy (E-levy) to enable government carry out its mandatary duties in the country.
“Today, we are all in Tamale, we have seen the construction of the Interchange. If we don’t pay the contractor, we can’t finish it. Not only the Interchange, several roads in our rural areas are not in good shape. If there’s no money, how can government construct the roads? It cannot”, she said.
Story By: Alhassan Yakubu |www.diamondfmonline.com |Ghana.
